Electric-current regulator.



No. 860,305. PATENTED JULY 16, 1907. D. R. KNAPP 6: H. E. GADB. ELECTRICCURRENT REGULATOR.

APPLIOATIOI FILED IOV. B4, 1906.

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fad 065W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID R. 'KNAPP, OF PHILADELPHlA, AND HOWARD E. CADE, OF PEN OOYD,PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC-CURRENT REGULATOR Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented July 16, 1907,

Application filed November 24,1905. Serial No. 288,959.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Davin R; KNAPP and Howsnn E. Cans, citizens of. theUnited States, residing, re-

' speetively, at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, and atPencoyd, in the county of Montgom-' ery, both in the State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric-Cur- -rent Regulators, of which the following is aspecification. M

I This invention relates to elect'ro-mechanical contrivances-employedfor storage battery charging and discharging current and voltage controlwherein automatic regulation is desirable without loss of efliciency iin its operation; and the obiect of our improvements is to provide amethod of and automatic electrical operated apparatus for, first,closing the charging circuit on the charging supply circuit whenever thevoltage of the charging source is sufliciently high to close the '20 thecharging circuit upon the supply circuit; third,

electrical connections'and allow a charging current to flow; second,sounding an alarm upon the closing of opening the charging circuit fromthe supply circuit when the voltage 0 the supply circuit becomes lowerthanthat of thevvbattery being charged; fourth, interposing a variableresistance in thecharging circuit wheneverthe voltage of the chargingcircuit is such as. would otherwise cause an excessive flow ofchargingcur'rent through the charging circuit; fifth, interposing a.variable auxiliary resistance in series with the supply circuitgenerator field winding, and its field rheosta't, whenever the voltageof the supply circuit is such as would cause an excessive flow ofcharging current through the charging circuit, ,as also through thedistribution circuit when it is connected,

with the supply circuit; sixth, closing thestorage battery on thedistribution circuit whenever the voltage of the. supply: circuitemployed, in charging the battery falls belowthat of thebattery beingcharged;

seventh, closing the supply circuit on the distribution circuit wheneverthe voltage of the supply circuit employed in charging the battery issufiicient' to close the charging-circuit and cause a current to-flowthrough same; eighth, sounding an alarm whenever the voltage of thesupply circuit is suchas to cause an excessive flow of currentthroughthe charging circuit, as also through the distribution circuitwhen it-is connected to thesupply circuit; ninth, sounding an alarmwhenever' the battery is wrongly connected to the charging circuit;tenth, sounding an alarm upon breaking of the charging current. y Weaccomplish said obiect by the method and apps.

I 'ratus hereinafter described and specifically mentioned in the}"-claims that are hereto appended and form a part hereof.

The nature, characteristic features, and scope of our said inventionwill be more fully understood from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and inwhich Figure 1 is a view diagrammatically illustrating an installationof our said invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the storage battery which it is desiredto be charged; 2 is the positive and 3 the negative lead of the supplycircuit; 4 is the generator which supplies the charging current, as alsothe current for feeding the distribution circuit while the batteryisbeing charged; 5, arm 23, 6, 7 and 8 are the leads connecting thebattery to. the distribution circuit, and 2, 7, 6, arm 23, 22 and 3 arethe leads connecting the generator to the distribution circuitduringthecharging of the battery; 2,8 9, arms 15 and 23, 22 and 3 are theleads of the charging circuit; 10 and 1-1 are the leads of an auxiliaryshunt generator field rheostat; 12 is a solenoid plunger. operated by anelectromagnet 13, and reacting spring 46, said magnet consisting of anelectro-magnet main winding 14, for energizing same and composed of sucha number of turns and resistance properties as will afiord a magneticattraction or pull sufficient to properly move the solenoid plunger acertain distance of its travel against the I67 acting force of thespring 46, for the purpose of causing the vibrating contact-lever, 15,hereinafter more particularly described, to vibrate through the desireddegree of angular travel, the resistance of said winding beingsuflicient to stand its direct connection across the battery chargingcircuit leads.

The electro-magnet 13 is also provided with an auxiliary electro-magnetwinding 16, which forms a part of the lead 9 of the charging circuit.and is so connect- 7 ,ed that when the charging current is flowing itsresulting magneto-motive force supplements that which is caused by themain winding 14, but when a current of opposite direction of flow occurstherein the resulting opposing magnet-motive force to that whichis'caused by the main winding 14 causes a considerable weaken ing of themagnetic attraction or pull on the solenoid plunger. 7

The vibrating contact-lever 15, hereinlicrore mentioned, is of suitablelength and is supported by a pivoted connection 17 and is actuated bythe solenoid plunger'through the connection therewith, at its one end'ashereinafter more particularly mentioned or described, and intermediatebetween its pivoted support 17 and its opposite'end, it is provided witha contact point 18 located so as to engage with contact point 19,

of the rheostat arm 23, hereinafter more-particularly described, andwith contact point 20 located so as to engage with contact point 21,which is insulated from the battery charging circuit; and is inserted inthe charging circuit so that its oscillating movements, caused by themagnetic pull on the solenoid plunger, on the one hand, and the opposingforce of the spring 46 acting on the other hand, serves to open andclose the charging circuit through the leads 9' and 22 in conjunctionwith contact arm 15 and the rheostat arm 23; and also to close the gongcircuit to signal upon the closing or opening of the charging circuit;the gong is indicated by 40; 47 is a post against which the vibratingcontact-lever 15 may repose when not in service.

The connection between the solenoid plunger 12 and the vibrating contactlever 15 is such that will admit of more or less travel movement of thesolenoid plunger before beginning to actuate the lever 15; we accomplishthis by providing the solenoid plunger with a slotted hole in which theend of the lever 15 projects, as shown on the drawing, this slotted holebeing provided with'an adjustable lever-bearing or stop 48, to enableadjusting the amount of travel movement of the solenoid plunger beforeit will begin to actuate the lever 15.

The rheostat contact arm 23 is pivoted at 24 and is provided with theusual means for returning it to its normal position when not under theaction of the vibrating contact-lever 15; it is also provided withcontact points, additional to those previously mentioned as engagingwith those of the lever 15, as follows :with point 25 to engage withpoint 35 of the battery discharging line, as also with rheostat buttons27 to 28 in the charging circuit; and with point 26 to engage with point34 of stop-post 34; and with point 36, which is insulated from therheostat arm 23, to engage with buttons 29 to 30 of an auxiliary shuntgenerator-field rheostat for thepurpose of controlling the voltage ofthe generator when it is supplying current for the distribution circuitand battery.

The angular travel of the rheostat arm 23 is limited by stops 34 and 35,of which 34 is provided witha contact point the engaging of which or ofpoint 33 enables the closing of the gong circuit, (so long as points 18and 19 and 20 and 21 are engaged), through the lead 37 upon theirengagement with points 21 or 26, as the case may be; the contact point21 is insulated from the rheostat contact arm 23 for the purpose ofpreventing the closing of the gong circuit while the battery isdischarging through the distribution circuit, but'it is in engagementwith contact point 33 so long as the rheostat contact arm is at restagainst the post 35, as is the case while the battery is dischargingthrough the distribution circuit.

The foregoing described apparatus is suitably mounted on an appropriatepanel, and upon its being properly proportioned and connectedthroughout, including the switches indicated on the drawing, all ofwhich will be readily understood by those skilled in theart to whichthis inventionrelates, its mode of operation will be'substantially asfollows :All of the switches being closed, and sufficient voltage beingpresent in the supply circuit, a flow of current corresponding to suchvoltage will take place in the electro-magnet main winding, causing acorresponding pull to act upon the solenoid plunger, and it in turn willoperate the vibratng contact-lever connected to same.

It is obvious that the angular distance of travel of the vibratingcontact-lever will be regulated by the intensity of the electro-magneticpull on the solenoid plunger and its opposing force caused by the spring46.

As the pull of the electro-magnet on the solenoid plunger varies withthe amount of current that is fiowing through the magnet windings anychange in the voltage of the supply circuit will cause a correspondingchange in the amount of current flowing through the electro-magnetwinding circuits, and thereby pro ducing upon the solenoid plunger acorresponding change in its movements that will operate the vibratingcontact-lever accordingly.

When the voltage present in the supply-circuit is sufficient to cause aflow of current through the battery charging circuit the solenoidplunger will move to that position at which the vibrating contact-leverwill just engage the contact points 18 and 19, and also button 27 withrheostat arm 23, thereby closing the battery charging circuit andacc'omplishing the hereinbefore mentioned first part of the object ofour said invention.

The moving of the vibrating contact-lever 15, as just described alsooperates to engage contact points 20 and 21, thereby closing the gongcircuit and cause the gong to -sound the signal that indicates theclosing of the charging circuit, thereby accomplishing the hereinbeforementioned second part of the object of our said invention.

The closing of the charging circuit, as just described, also operates toclose its engaged contact points more firmly, because of the increasedpull on the solenoid plunger following upon the increased magneticstrength of the electro-magnet resulting from the flow of the chargingcurrent through the auxiliary windings of the electro-magnet, and thefurther angular movement of the vibrating contact-lever, thereby closingthose contact points more firmly, also operates to slightly further movethe rheostat contact arm thereby opening the gong circuit through theresulting disengagement of contact points 21 and 33, wherebythc ceasingof the gong sound will indicate that the battery is being chargedproviding contact points 18 and 19 are found remaining in contact witheach other.

In case the voltage of the supply circuit should decrease, during thecharging process, below that of the battery being charged, there wouldbe a corresponding decrease in the magnetic strength due to a weakenedcurrent augmented by the resulting opposing magnetic force caused by thereversed current flowing through the auxiliary winding of theelectro-magnet by reason of the resulting discharge of battery currentthat would 1 l5 occur upon such decrease of voltage in the supplycircuit, and therefore a corresponding decrease would occur in theintensity of the pull on the solenoid plunger, which, being opposed bythe force of the reacting spring 46 would then be insuflicient tomaintain the aforesaid contact made by the engagements of the points 18and 19, and consequently the charging circuit would thereby be openedand an escape of battery current through the charging connections beprevented; thus accomplishing the hereinbefore mentioned third part ofthe object of our said invention. 1

Under normal voltage conditions of chargingabattery with our saidimproved method and apparatus the rheostat contact arm would remain inthe hereinbefore men tioned engagement with the first contact button 27in case the voltage of the supply circuit would increase beyond thenormal conditions the increased resulting flow of current through (theelectro-magnet windings would increase the pull on the solenoid plungerand cause the vibrating contact-lever to movethe rheostat contact arm tosuch other rheostat contact-buttons as would interpose, in both thecharging circuit and the auxiliary shunt generator-field rheostatcircuit, resistances necessary for reducing the generator to normalconditions of charging current through the battery; therebyaccomplishing the hereinbefore mentioned fourth and fifth parts of theobject oi'our said invention.

It is obvious that when the voltageoi the generator falls below that ofthe battery the resulting decrease in the pull of the electro magnet onthe solenoid plunger, caused by the weakening of the electro-magneticforce due to a reverse current flowing throughits auxiliary winding'iromthe battery and a reduction of current through the main winding' due tothe decreased voltage, will allow the force of the reacting spring 46acting on the solenoid plunger and the attached vibrating contact-lever,to drop back and engage contact points 25 and 35, thus closing thestoragebattery on thedistribution circuit, which thus accomplishes thehereinbefore mentioned sixth part of the object of our said invention.

It is also obvious that when the voltage of the genera tor is suificientto close the charging circuit, as'hereinh before described, the movementof the rheostat contact arm will engage with the button 27 and therebyclose the supply circuit on the distribution circuit; and therebyaccomplisli'the hereinbefore mentioned seventh part of the object. ofour said. invention. 1

It is also obvious that when the potential of the supply circuit is suchas to cause the rheostat contact arm tobe moved against the stop 34,thereby engaging contactpoints 26 and '34 and thus close the gongcircuit, the gong will sound an alarm, which, together'with the positionof the rheostat contact arm resting against stop 34, "will accomplishthe hereinbefore mentioned eighth part of the object of our saidinvention. i It is also obvious that should the connections of theterminals of the charging circuit at switches 43 and 44 be connected ina manner reverse to that of the normal, a reciprocating movement wouldbe set up in the solenoid plunger, due to the voltage of thesupplycircuit closing contact'points 18 and 19, followed .by theirprompt reopening in response to the effect oi'the discharge current setto flowing through the auxiliary electro-magnet winding 16, upon theclosing of points 18 and 19, and reducing the magnetic strength of theelectro-magnet and thereby decreasing its pull on'the solenoid plungerand allowing the force of the reacting spring operating through thevibrating contact lever, to open the contact made by points 18 and 19;this oscillation of the vibrating contact-lever would cause anintermittent ringing of the gong because of the engaging and disengagingof contact points 20 and 21 with each vibration of said lever, andindicating that the battery had not been properly connected, whereby thehereinbefore mentioned ninth part of the object of our said inventionwould be accomplished.

It is also obvious that when the vibrating contact lever is about todisengage its contact with the rheostat contact-arm the contact points21 and 33 will engage,

thereby closing the gong circuit and cause the gong to ring; and. thatupon any further disengaging movement of the vibrating contact-levertaking place the contact points 20 and 21 will thereby'becomedisengaged, whereupon the gong circuit being thereby opened, the gongwill cease ringing; thereby accomplishing the hereinbeiore mentionedtenth part of the object of our said invention.

By the opening of the switches 11 and 42 the hereinbefore severallydescribed functions may be performed, except those of closing thedistribution circuit on either the generator charging the. battery, oron the battery being charged.

Having thus described the nature and objects of our said invention, Whatwe claim as new, and desire to' secure by Letters Patent, are:-

1. In an electric storage battery charging system the combinatioriconsisting of a storage battery provided with leads forming a chargingcircuit, and a rheostat provided with an arm carryingn contactforengaging said rheostat and inserted in said charging circuit, and leadsforming a supply circuit and connected to the leads of said chargingcircuit, and a solenoid provided with a series and also a shunt windingsaid shunt winding being connected by means of its terminals across theterminals of the leads forming said supply circuit and said serieswinding being connected by means of its one terminal to the hereinaftermentioned contact lever-arm and by its other terminal to said storagebattery and forming a part of the leads of said charging circuit, and acontact lever-arm having its one end engaged by the plunger of saidsolenoid and form ing a part of the. leads of said charging circuit andprovided witha. contact stir-face for engaging with a contact surface onsaid rheostat arm said contact lever-arm and said rheostat arm engagingeach other through said contact surfaces; all substantially as and forthe purpose shown and described.

2. In'an electric storage battery charging system the combinationconsisting of a storage batteryprovided with.

winding circuit of the generator which supplies current to the hereaftermentioned supply circuit and the pivoted part of said rheostat arm beinga part of said battery charging circuit and provided with a contactpointfor engaging a fixed contact point forming the terminal of one ofthe leads of said charging circuit said contacts being in engagement solong as said rheostat armreposes in its initial or normal position, anda solenoid provided with a series and also a shunt winding said shuntwinding having its terminals connected across said supply circuit to theleads forming the terminals thereof and said series winding beingconnected by means of its one terminal to the hereinafter mentionedcontact lever-armand by its other terminal to said storage battery andforming a part of the leads of said charging circuit, and a contactlever arm having its one end engaged by the plunger of said solenoid andforming a part of the leads of said charging circuit and provided with ucontact surface for engaging with a contact surface on said rheostat.arm said contact lever-arm and said rheostat arm engaging each otherthrough said contact surfaces; all substantially as and for the purposesshown and described.

3. In an electric storage battery charging system the combinationconsisting of a storage battery provided with leads forming a chargingcircuit, and a rheostat provided with an arm carrying a contact forengaging said rheostat and inserted in said charging circuit, and leadsforming a supply circuit and connected to the leads of said chargingcircuit, and a solenoid provided with a series and also a shunt windingsaid shunt winding being connected by means of its terminals across theterminalsiof the leads forming said supply circuit and said serieswinding being connected by means of its one terminal to the hereinaftermentioned contact lever-arm and by its other terminal to said storagebattery and forming a part of the leads of said charging circuit. and acontact lever-arm having its one end engaged by the plunger of saidsolenoid and forming a part of the leads of said charging circuit andprovided with a contact surface for engaging with a Contact surface onsaid rheostat arm said contact lever-arm and said rheostat arm engagingeach other through said contact surfaces, and an auxiliary rheostatengaging a contact point carried on an insulated extension provided tothe arm of the aforesaid principal rheostat said auxiliary rheostat andsaid insulated arm extension being electrically connected in series withand forming part of said supply circuit generator field winding circuit;all substantially as and for the purposes shown and described.

4. In an electric current distribution system the combination consistingof a storage battery provided with leads forming a charging circuit, anda rheostat provided with an arm carrying,' a contact for engaging saidrheostat and inserted in said charging circuit, and leads forming asupply circuit and connected to the leads of said charging cir? cuit,and a solenoid provided with a series and also a shunt winding saidshunt winding being connected by means of its terminals across theterminals of the leads forming said supply circuit and said serieswinding being connected by means of its one terminal to the hereinaftermentioned contact lever-arm and by its other terminal to said storagebattery and forming a part of the leads of said charging circuit, and acontact lever-arm having its one end engaged by the plunger of saidsolenoid and forming a part of the leads of said charging circuit andprovided with a contact surface for engaging with a contact surface onsaid rheostat arm said contact lever-arm and said rheostat arm engagingeach other through said contact surfaces, and an auxiliary rheostatengaging a contact point carried on an insulated extension provided tothe arm of the aforesaid principal rheostat said auxiliary rheostat andsaid in sulated arm extension being electrically connected in serieswith and forming part of said supply circuit generator field windingcircuit, and leads forming a distribution circuit fed by said supplycircuit generator the terminals of said leads being connected the onewith that of one polarity of said storage battery and said generator andthe other to that of the opposite polarity of said generator throughsaid charging circuit rheostat and its arm; all substantially as and forthe purposes shown and described.

5. In an electric current distribution system the combination consistingof a storage battery provided with leads forming a chargin circuit, anda rheostat provided with an arm carrying a contact for engaging saidrheostat and inserted in said charging circuit, and leads forming asupply circuit and connected to the leads of said charging circuit, anda solenoid provided'with a series and also a shunt winding said shuntwinding being connected by means of its terminals across the terminalsof the leads forming said supply circuit and said series winding beingconnected by means of its one terminal to the hereinafter mentionedcontact lever-arm and by its other terminal to said storage battery andforming a part of the leads of said charging circuit, and a contactlever-arm having its one end engaged by the plunger of said solenoid andforming a part of the leads of said charging circuit and provided with acontact surface for engaging with a contact surface on said rheostat armsaid contact lever-arm and said rheostat arm engaging each other throughsaid contact surfaces, and an auxiliary rheostat engaging a contactpoint carried on-an insulated extension provided to the arm of theaforesaid principal rheostat said auxiliary rheostat and said insulatedarm extension being electrically connected in series with and formingpart of said supply circuit generator field winding circuit, and leadsforming a distribution circuit fed by said storage battery the terminalsof said leads being connected the one to similar polarity connections ofsaid storage battery and of said generator the other to said chargingcircuit rheostat'arm said arm being provided with a contact point forengaging with a fixed contact point connected to the opposite polaritylead of said storage battery; all substantially as and for the purposesshown and described.

6. In a system of electric current and voltage regulation of thecharacter hereinbefore described, an electrically operated gong providedwith leads forming its operating-circuit, the one lead of which beingconnected to one of the leads of the supply circuit of said system andthe other of its said leads being connected to two contacts the one forengaging with a contact located on the arm of a rheostat i. In a systemof electric current and voltage control,

"apparatus consisting of a solenoid provided with a main and anauxiliary electro-magnet winding; and a vibrating contact-lever operatedby said solenoid through direct mechanical engagement of the same withthe plunger of said solenoid; in combination with an electric currentgenerator, and leads for electrically connecting the same in circuitwith said solenoid and with said vibrating contactlever; and'a shuntcircuit provided with an auxiliary field rheostat electrically connectedto said generator the arm of said rheostat being actuated from itscontact position of no or lesser resistance to higher resistancecontacts by the engagement therewith of said vibrating contact lever;all substantially as and for the purposes shown and described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our respective names to thisspecification in the presence of two subscrib ing witnesses.

DAVID R. KNAPP. HOWARD E. CADE.

Witnesses Rom. D. KINNEY, .IAs. F. SMYTH.

